Bible Passage: Philippians 3:12-21
Pastor: Joel Jenswold
Sermon Date: October 4, 2026

Bulletin – October 4, 2026

In the name of, and to the eternal glory of, Jesus,

Knowing where you are headed impacts what you do.  For example, knowing that I finally wanted to be in Austin, Texas affected how I acted in the airport a few weeks ago.  Knowing I was headed to Austin meant I went to certain terminals and certain gates at certain times to get on certain flights.  I didn’t just show up at the airport and get on the first plane I saw hoping that I might possibly end up in Austin.  Knowing where you are headed impacts what you do.

Christian, where are you headed?  I am not asking you about your plans for your next vacation or spring break.  I am asking you what your plans are for eternity.  Where are you headed to spend your “forever”?  Your answer will impact how you live right now.  If we could have asked the apostle Paul where he was headed, I think we can guess his answer!  He pretty much lays it out before us in our text today.  “Paul, where you headed?”    Answer?  Heavenward All the Way!  Knowing this affected how he lived.

Just before our text, Paul had been speaking of his grandest desire.  He said, I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection of the dead. (3:10-11)  Paul’s heart is yearning to experience the resurrection of the dead that is coming!  Paul pretty much says what we confess in the Creed:  “I believe in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.”  That is the final result and goal of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Our death and resurrection!  Paul says to begin our text,  Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal. (v. 12)  Paul knew the goal, and he knew he wasn’t there yet.

And this affected the way Paul lived.  I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus also took hold of me…forgetting the things that are behind and straining toward the things that are ahead, I press on toward the goal. (v. 12, 13, 14)  We see a resoluteness in Paul.  A determination.  A focus.  A discipline that makes one think of an elite athlete in training.  He says he presses on toward the “goal.”  The word he uses for “goal” is a word that means the “end-marker.”  The thing that marks the end of the race.  Think finish-line.  I guarantee you no runner who has ever won the gold medal in the Olympic marathon ever stopped halfway through the race to eat a box of donuts and drink a 2 liter of Mountain Dew!  For Paul the race was heavenward all the way!

Are you running with determination and focus?  Sometimes we lose some of our focus and determination, don’t we?  There are predictable times in the Christian life when we are vulnerable.  Confirmation can be one of those times.  When the kids are young, moms and dads faithfully get them to Sunday School and Catechism class.  And then Confirmation Day comes!  Oh, blessed day!  And then, we take our foot off the gas peddle, as if Confirmation Day was the end-marker, the finish-line.  It’s not.  Remember, our walk is heavenward all the way!  Going off to college is another predictable “off-ramp” for too many of our young brothers and sisters in Jesus.  They are away from home.  They have freedom for the first time – freedom NOT to go to church if they so choose.  They perhaps come under the influence of friends or professors who are hostile to Christianity.  They feel embarrassed of their faith.  Sadly, some will withdraw from the race at this point in life.  My young brothers and sisters, our race is HEAVENWARD all the way!

Paul then says something interesting in our text, he says, Join together in imitating me and in paying attention to those who are walking according to the pattern we gave you. (v. 17)  Paul says, “Follow my example!”  That’s not Paul being arrogant.  That’s Paul being practical.  Paul knows that learning by example is a good way to learn.   Who are your Christian examples?  Who set you an example to follow?  Here are some of mine:  Lois and John Jenswold (mom and dad), Ed and Ann Lindemann (my in-laws), Miss Zabel, Miss Miller, Miss Braun, Miss Landry, Miss Warnecke, Mr. Hahn, Mr. Rahn, Mr. Albrecht.  Coach Bauer, Coach Hahm, Coach Bertolus. These were people, Christian people, who exerted a powerful influence on a young Christian by the example they set.  They were examples of people who loved God’s Word and God’s House!  They modeled Christian service. They modeled Christ’s love before me in the home, at school, at practices.  All showed me how to live; some showed me how a Christian dies.  I love them all for that!  It can be helpful to follow the example of those who have traveled heavenward before us.

It’s important to have good examples to follow, because there are a lot of bad ones in the world.  Paul says, To be sure, many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.  I told you about them often, and now I am saying it while weeping.  Their end is destruction, their god is their appetite, and their glory is in their shame.  They are thinking only about earthly things. (v. 18-19)  Look at what happens when there is no upward call of God in Christ Jesus (v. 14)!  Look at what happens when the walk is “earthward” all the way!  People become devoted worldlings, devoted to earthly things.  Think of some of the biggest names in pop culture.  They have become famous for being unholy.  They glory in doing things that Jesus died for on the cross.  It makes Paul cry.

But Paul is quick to jerk our attention up and away from this, heavenward!  But our citizenship is in heaven. (v. 20)  Our hearts beat true for heaven!  We have a Savior soon to return from heaven!  We are eagerly awaiting a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. (v. 20)  We’ve got resurrection and glory coming!  Jesus is coming to retrieve the bodies he redeemed the first time he came!  These bodies that were washed in Holy Baptism!  By the power that enables him to subject all things to himself, he will transform our humble bodies to be like his glorious body. (v. 21)   The final destiny of this body is not a hole in the ground 8’ long, 3’ wide, and 6’ deep!  It is resurrection and transformation and glory and an eternity with the Lord Jesus!  This defines our future!  This is where we are headed!  And knowing where you are headed impacts what you do.  We live with heavenly focus and determination, for our walk is heavenward all the way!

Amen.